Why was it built?

Napoleon Bonaparte asked for the Arc de Triomphe. He wanted to commemorate famous French victories and honour the men who had fought and died.

What does the Arc de Triomphe show?

The monument shows battle scenes called friezes. Above these friezes are shields engraved with the names of major French victories in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. The names of men who died, including generals, are written on the inside walls.

Modern use of the Arc de Triomphe

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is underneath the Arc de Triomphe. The body of an unknown World War 1 soldier was buried there on Armistice Day in 1920. An eternal flame was lit to commemorate all of the unidentified soldiers who died in World War 1(now World War 2 as well). Every year the French Armistice Day memorial service takes place at the Arc de Triomphe.